country. In addition to the fighter jets, Russia reportedly sold six S-300 air defense systems to Syria under a 2010 contract. Asked Thursday about these and other arms sales, al-Assad said it is not our policy to talk publicly about military issues in terms of what we possess or what we receive. Blast in Damascus neighborhood kills 8 As far as Russia is concerned, the contracts have nothing to do with the crisis, he told Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV, according to a transcript from Syria's official SANA news service. We have negotiated with them on different kinds of weapons for years, and Russia is committed to honoring these contracts. Moscow, however, has said such deliveries would conform with international law and has denied supplying Syria with weapons that can be used against civilians. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry described any transfer of S-300s to the region as not helpful. Whether it's an old contract or not, it has a profoundly negative impact on the balance of interests and the stability of the region, and it does put Israel at risk, he said. Kerry added that halting the bloodshed peacefully should be everyone's first priority. The best chance to save Syria -LRB- and -RRB- for a future Syria that represents all Syrian people and moves beyond this massacre, devastation, killing, sectarian violence... is through a peaceful resolution that comes about in an